Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, Sep 05, 2025

These are the top 10 countries to retire in, according to US expats who made the move well before the coronavirus pandemic

International Living's Retirement Index, an annual comprehensive guide to global retirement destinations curated by US expats, was released. The ranking takes several factors into consideration, including the cost of healthcare, the cost of living, the process of obtaining a visa and owning property, the access to entertainment, and the ease of assimilation. Five Latin American countries made the list, followed by three European countries and two Asian countries.
The ranking was determined ahead of the coronavirus pandemic.

In the US, unprecedented numbers of seniors are pushing past the once typical retirement age of 65 and working until about 72. Simultaneously, millennials are hustling to amass income-generating assets and living off rice and beans to retire early.

While there's no one way to approach retirement, many are getting creative in stretching their money for a comfortable - and even luxurious - third act of life. One strategy? Retiring abroad.

"International Living," a magazine focused on Americans living overseas, released its annual Retirement Index in January, before the coronavirus pandemic hit.

The index, which ranks countries "where you can live a healthier and happier life, spend a lot less money, and get a whole lot more" in retirement, was created through extensive surveys of US expats, the magazine said.

Retirees living overseas ranked their experience across 10 categories: housing; benefits and discounts for seniors; visas and residence; cost of living; assimilation and entertainment; quality and accessibility of healthcare; development; climate; government stability; and opportunity for semi-retirement.

Each category was then given a score out of 100, combining several nitty-gritty details. For example, the housing category encompassed the value of real estate, the cost of building, property taxes, and even whether there is opportunity to earn money renting. The cost-of-living category addressed minutiae like the cost of a liter of milk and a movie ticket, while the healthcare category covered the costs of medical procedures, common medications, and ease of access, as well as quality.

After balancing all 10 categories, the magazine ascribed a final overall score, also out of 100, to each country.

All of the countries on the list were selected before the global spread of the coronavirus. Travel is still restricted in many of these locations.

Here are the top countries for retirement, ranked in ascending order of final score, according to expats who have already made the move.


10. Vietnam

Overall score: 76

Housing: 77

Healthcare: 84

Cost of living: 92

John Powell, once a purchasing agent in New York, moved to Hanoi in 2014. He told International Living that he budgeted $2,700 a month and liked the city because of its low cost of living comfortably and its location. "It's a good base for travel," he said.


9. France

Overall score: 76.4

Housing: 68

Healthcare: 85

Cost of living: 66

Carol and Scott Lonsdale moved to Brittany in 2016. They told International Living that they liked the slower pace of life and the access to the European culture France provides.

"In France there's such a great amount of care taken with how well things are managed, maintained, and appreciated," Carol said, adding, "And did we mention the wine?"


8. Spain

Overall score: 76.8

Housing: 72

Healthcare: 97

Cost of living: 81

Michele and Stanton Cohen moved to Girona in 2017 from Yuma, Arizona. They told International Living their favorite aspect of life abroad was affordable dining and entertainment, saying that they not only can go out for three-course meals under $30 but "often go out for breakfast and meet friends for coffee or drinks at least twice a week."

The medical and dental care also helps. "The prices are about one-third of US medical costs," Michele said.


7. Malaysia

Overall score: 81.9

Housing: 77

Healthcare: 93

Cost of living: 85

Keith and Lisa Hockton retired in Penang in 2010. In addition to the low cost of living, they appreciate the temperate weather, noting that the average year-round temperature is 82 degrees Fahrenheit and that it's close to over 878 islands with "white-sand beaches."


6. Ecuador

Overall score: 82

Housing: 84

Healthcare: 84

Cost of living: 90

Mary and Wayne Bustle relocated to Quito, Ecuador's capital, in early 2015. The climate - which Wayne told International Living "hardly varies," with "no snow or extreme heat nor humidity" - drew the couple to Ecuador after they had considered 13 countries.

There are also attractive senior discounts, like half-price airline tickets.


5. Colombia

Overall score: 83.4

Housing: 80

Healthcare: 94

Cost of living: 88

Nancy Kiernan was initially drawn to Colombia because it is so biodiverse. She chose to retire in Medellín. She found she could obtain a renewable three-year Colombian retirement visa by providing proof of $750 in annual income from US Social Security.

She also said that though Medellín is a bigger city, with a population of nearly 4 million, it had "the vibe of a smaller, friendly town, that makes you feel part of a community."


4. Mexico

Overall score: 83.8

Housing: 91

Healthcare: 88

Cost of living: 86

Don Murray, who retired in Mexico in 2014, found that the country had several expat enclaves, making it easy to assimilate.

"What I and most other expats love most about Mexico is the vibrant life and culture," Murray told International Living. "And it's quite easy to fit in."

Popular spots include villages near the beaches of Cancún or the mountains of San Miguel de Allende.


3. Costa Rica

Overall score: 85.3

Housing: 85

Healthcare: 96

Cost of living: 82

"Here, there's more time to actually stop and smell the roses," Graham Swindell told International Living. "Combine that with great waves, an amazing climate, and a culture that places family, friends, and a relaxed quality of life above all, then it's easy to see why so many people come here for a week and end up staying for a decade or even a lifetime."

Kathleen Evans, another Costa Rica retiree, said: "Once you have acquired your residency, you pay between 7% and 11% of your reported monthly income, and the socialized medicine program is available to you."


2. Panama

Overall score: 85.8

Housing: 88

Healthcare: 94

Cost of living: 89

Jessica Ramesch retired in Panama City and lives there alone for "about $2,600 a month, including rent, groceries, utilities, and entertainment," she said.

She also celebrated the quality and price of healthcare, estimating that doctor visits cost "a nominal fee of between $20 and $60."

Easy access to the US is also a selling point - it is about three hours from Miami by plane.


1. Portugal

Overall score: 86

Housing: 93

Healthcare: 98

Cost of living: 85

Portugal has several expat enclaves, including cities like Porto and Lisbon or "beach havens" like Cascais or the Algarve.

In addition to having an affordable lifestyle with quality healthcare, a temperate climate, and "excellent food and wine," Tricia Pimental, who has lived in Portugal for seven years, said she and her husband moved there for a more "ephemeral" reason: "the overarching sense of well-being we experience here."

Pimental recently told International Living that coronavirus restrictions in the country are "in a state of flux; in some areas increased, in some areas relaxed."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Queen Camilla’s Teenage Courage: Fended Off Attempted Assault on London Train, New Biography Reveals
Scottish Brothers Set Record in Historic Pacific Row
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
×